New Kit! Saxo Bank

Ladies and gents, I think we have an early contender for my favorite kit of the season. Saxo Bank has really stepped up this season and took their kit from one of the ugliest to one of the best.

Last year saw the introduction of the “crotch eagle.” No one who came up with the idea of the crotch eagle or why they thought it would be a good idea to make it look like said eagle was coming out of the shorts for a look-around, but it made for some great joke fodder:

Crotch eagle!

I didn’t have a problem with the feather sleeves but the color…! It was as if the soigneur threw the jerseys in with some new blue jeans and the color bleed all over their nice white jerseys. Since Saxo Bank’s budget was decimated by taking on Contador, they had no choice but to wear the slightly blue jerseys. With the crotch eagle.

This year, the crotch eagle is still there, but the color…! It’s fabulous! This year’s bright blue is the total opposite of last year’s washed out blue. The bold blue is sure to stand out in a peloton sure to be full of minimalist kits. I also approve of the bold branding on the back.

And you know what? The crotch eagle is growing on me. It’s silly and inexplicable but it’s unique and I admire how they’ve stuck by it!

So you go Saxo Crotch Eagle! Kick some butt this season (and for your sake, I hope Bert isn’t suspended…)

EDIT: I’ve since learned that the eagle comes from “Eagle from Herning”- Bjarne Riis’ nickname.